TWO Olympic athletes are set to make a splash at Castle Leisure Centre this weekend.

On Saturday (January 10), freestyle swimmer Cassie Patten and water polo player Fran Leighton will host a special 'I Swim If You Swim' event.

The showcase of water-based sessions will feature a pool party, water polo, Aqua Zumba, parent and baby swim sessions and synchronised swimming.

Jackie Veal, sports development manager at Bury Council, said: “The I Swim If You Swim event is a great opportunity to try out lots of different activities and classes and meet some of the country’s leading aquatic talent – so we hope local women and girls across Bury will come along, join in and be inspired by the Olympians.”

The event has been organised by Total Swimming, a private swimming business, and the £2.3 million I Will If You Will (IWIYW) campaign to get women and girls in Bury more active.

Jackie said IWIYW female-only swimming sessions and lessons had proved extremely popular, particularly since the introduction of privacy blinds around the pool.

She added: “Castle Leisure centre has been really instrumental to the IWIYW movement in Bury, with an abundance of fantastic activities on offer. It has been a real hub of activity for the campaign.

“The swimming pools especially have played a massive part in helping women achieve their personal fitness goals.”

Between 9.30am and 12.30pm, children aged seven to 11 can take part in rookie lifeguarding, synchronised swimming, fast swimming and mini water polo with the two Olympians.

Parents and babies can play with toys between 9.30am and 12.30pm, and adults can take part in swimming lessons in the diving pool between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

Aqua Zumba sessions are taking place between 1.30pm and 2pm. Between 3pm and 3.30pm there will be a high intensity Aqua Hit workout session before a pool party between 3.45pm and 4.30pm.

Between 2pm and 3pm, Cassie, who won bronze in the 10km open water swimming event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and Fran, who was part of the first ever Olympic GB women’s water polo team at the 2012 London Olympics, will give an introduction to Olympic swimming.

Also during this time, the duo will hold an exclusive session to share swimming tips with people who have completed the 12-week SwimFit programme.

An under fives fun session will take place between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. There will also be general swims between 12.30pm and 1.30pm, 1.30pm and 2pm, and 3pm and 3.30pm.

Sessions on the day, which must be booked in advance as places are limited, cost £2 for adults and £1 for children.

To book: call Castle Leisure Centre on 0161 253 7000; call into the centre on Bolton Street, or go to buryleisureonline.bury.gov.uk/castle/